


The Descendants

by ZedElla (Leviarty)



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Gen, Sentient Atlantis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-08
Updated: 2016-02-08
Packaged: 2018-05-18 23:36:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5947546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leviarty/pseuds/ZedElla
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Do you think the stories are true?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Descendants

“Do you think the stories are true, Mikie?” the young boy asked, following his cousin down the hall. The boy’s head was ducked, as though the few inches might keep them from being spotted. The girl, a mere two years older, seemed unconcerned that they would be caught.

“Gran always talked like it was true. Mom doesn’t like to talk about it though. That’s why we have to see for ourselves.”

“We’re going to get in trouble,” Ardos said, looking cautiously around the corners as they passed. “We’re not supposed to be down here.”

“Chill, Ardo,” Mikya said. “We’re almost there.”

She stopped them at the door at the end of the hall, and waved her hand over the sensor. It slid open smoothly.

“Maybe we should go back,” Ardos said, taking a step backward.

“Okay. Tell Caden you chickened out,” she said, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

Ardos frowned, but stood up a little straighter. He would _not_ let Caden get the better of him.

“That’s what I thought,” Mikya said, stepping into the room. The floors and walls immediately lit up, sensing her presence. “Cool.”

“Is that it?” Ardos said, taking a step toward the chair in the center of the room. Mikya held him back with one arm.

“Careful,” she said. “If the stories _are_ true… only select few can sit in the Chair.”

“Right.” He nodded. He knew that. It was dangerous to sit in the Chair, except for the Chosen. So the stories said.

“They say our ancestors were the first in millennia to use it,” she said. He had heard the stories, but often forgot the details. She knew them like the back of her hand. “The city granted them power and access to its secrets, perhaps because it was lonely. But over time she became strict, only allowing some to interphase directly.”

“Sounds selfish,” he said, approaching the walls on which a great story had been carved. He ran his fingers over the fading letters, but was unable to read them. “Mik, why are there faces in the walls?”

“What do you mean?” she asked, approaching him. She gasped when she saw it. It was almost like a layer of cloudy ice was covering them, but there were indeed faces – people! – in the walls. Unable to contain herself, she reached out to touch.

Something hummed from all around them. “Maybe we should get out of here,” she said, grabbing his arm.

The wall shimmered and a figure stepped through it. He resembled one of the four faces frozen in the walls, but looked a great deal younger.

“Eep!” Ardos shrieked, running for the door.

“It’s okay, just a hologram,” she said, waving her arm through the figure’s torso.

“Hey, that tickles,” the man said.

Mikya’s eyes grew wide and she stilled. “So-sorry.”

He laughed. “I’m kidding. Just a hologram. Can’t feel a thing.”

“See, Ar, it’s okay,” she said over her shoulder, though was still a little uneasy.

The man bent down to one knee so he could stand at eyelevel with her. “I don’t think you’re supposed to be down here, are you?”

She shook her head and looked down at her toes. “We were just curious.”

“Hmm. I suppose I can let that slide. So long as you’re more careful next time you get curious. Not everything in the city is benevolent.”

“What does ben-ev-o-lent mean?” Ardos asked, peeking his head through the doorway.

The man chuckled again.

“It means nice,” Mikya said. “Or, not bad.”

“So you’re nice?” Ardos asked, standing a little taller.

“I like to think so,” he said. “I’m John Sheppard. Or, his likeness, I guess. I have all his memories and stuff. Who are you?”

“I’m Mikya Shep, and this is Ardos Kay.”

“So, Mikya Shep and Ardos Kay. What brings you down to my neck of the woods? What sort of thing has you curious?”

“The stories of the first Terrans,” Mikya said. “It is said that they still live within the city. Most people think it’s just a legend, but our Gran always made it seem so real.”

“The first Terrans, you say,” John said, frowning. “I think I remember something like that. It was quite a long time ago, I’m not sure I can recall all the details. Why don’t you remind me?”

“Well,” Mikya began. “It is said that a group of explorers came here from another galaxy. They found the city dying at the bottom of the ocean. They were able to revive her, but they woke a terrible beast, which sought destroy Atlantis and Earth and everything in their path.”

“Ah, of course, I remember now. And the handsome hero killed all the Wraith and saved the galaxy. Does this sound right?”

Mikya giggled. “You have funny ears. Like mine. Raine always makes fun of them.”

“Who is Raine and should I beat her up?”

Mikya shook her head. “Raine Dax. She’s my best friend in the whole universe. She’s kinda mean though.”

“I guess that’s okay. My best friends can be kind of mean too. Not too mean, though, right?”

Mikya shook her head again. She loved Raine, and knew Raine loved her too. “So it’s true? The stories about the Wraith?”

“Well, I don’t know it _all_ the stories are true. What happened after the Wraith were defeated?”

“Well, there were other enemies too,” Mikya said.

“The Replicators!” Ardos exclaimed. “The Terran’s kicked their butts too.”

John smiled. “Yeah, I suppose we did.”

“The original colony was very small,” Mikya said. “But over time it grew, and as the city was made safer, more were allowed to settle here. Millions live here now.”

“That’s a lot,” John said with wide eyes. “What else did your Gran tell you?”

“Well, the story goes, that one day the city demanded a sacrifice. I never really understood this part though. She asked for some of the people to stay with her forever.”

John nodded. “Do you know what this place is?” he asked.

“Human interphase,” Mikya said. “It’s where the leaders come to access city systems.”

“Yeah, but it’s a little more than that.” John walked up to the walls, which were still glowing eerily. “When she demanded our sacrifice, this is where we came. She keeps us alive, here.”

“So it’s true. You _are_ alive?”

“Sort of. We can never leave. If we’re removed from stasis, our bodies will die, and our minds with it.”

“But then… the city would die too, wouldn’t she?”

John nodded. “She can’t live without us, nor we without her.”

“Do you… like it?” she asked.

“I admit, it was weird at first. But we’ve had a long time to adjust.” He turned to face them suddenly. “I’m guessing your parents have been pretty strict about not letting you down here, right?”

“Yeah,” they said in unison.

“But what’s the big deal?” Ardos asked.

“Well, the chair can be dangerous,” John said. “But more to the point, Commander Jara is on her way here now.”

Mikya’s eyes widened. “That’s my mom! We have to go!” She grabbed Ardos’ hand and tugged.

“I won’t tell if you won’t,” John said, waving after them. They disappeared down the hall, and a few moments later, Cdr. Jara Shep walked through the still open door. “Hey there,” he said.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “We try to keep them from adventuring to close-”

“It didn’t work with you either, if I recall,” John said with a laugh. “They seem like good kids.”

“They are. I’m sure they’ll make excellent leaders some day.”

“But for now, let them be kids.” He’d seen some of the descendents forced to grow up too quickly. It was hard, raising a child, knowing they would one day be leaders.

“Of course. Thank you for… entertaining them.” She half bowed and left the room, willing the door to close behind her.

“Twice in one week,” Evan Lorne said, stepping out of the wall.

“And younger than expected,” Rodney McKay said as he and Carson Beckett emerged.

“The pull of the city is a hard one to ignore.”

**Author's Note:**

> Man, I have no idea how this happened. I’ve had this sort of idea for a while, that John, Rodney, Lorne, and Beckett be immortalized by the city, but it’s always kind of dark when you look at it. They’d have to leave the rest of their family behind, and it’s a mighty request from the city, asking them to be permanently bonded to her. But I didn't want it to be dark, I wanted it to feel like a good thing. So here we have some kinds, many generations after the sacrifice.
> 
> I'd like to write some more of these kids, and the ones I didn't get to introduce, but I'm not sure what to do with them yet. If you have suggestions, feel free to throw them my way.


End file.
